Spray nozzles



Jan. 17, 1967 s. c. WATKINS 3,298,613

SPRAY NOZZLES Filed Jan. 19, 1965 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 17, 1967 s. c. WATKINS 3,298,613

' SPRAY nozzms Filed Jan. 19, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 17, 1967 s. c. WATKINS 3,298,613

SPRAY NOZZLES Filed Jan. 19, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,298,613 I SPRAY NOZZLES Sidney Connor Watkins, Burnley, England, assignor to .llosgph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham,Eng-

Filed Jan. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 426,550 7 Claims. (Cl. 239-421) This invention relates to spray nozzles for liquids whereby a substantially flat, fan-shaped spray pattern can be obtained.

The object of the present invention is to provide such a spray nozzle in a convenient form.

According to the present invention a spray nozzle comprises a pair of tubes, one pair of ends of which are in communication with a cavity, to which liquid to be sprayed can be supplied under pressure, the opposite pair of ends of the tubes terminating adjacent to one another in substantially end-to-end relationship, so that liquid streams simultaneously supplied to the tubes impinge against one another and are emitted through an opening defined in part by adjacent end faces of the tubes and in part by a deflector, the opening being elongated transversely to the direction of flow of liquid therethrough each of the tubes being bent intermediate its ends, so that the ends lie in different planes, the tubes being resilient so that increasing pressure, when the spray nozzle is in use, tends to straighten the tubes so as to enlarge the opening by separation of the adjacent ends of the tubes.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

FIGURE 1 is a side view in cross-section of a flame tube incorporating a nozzle constructed in accordance with this invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a first example of a nozzle, as shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line III- III in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary front elevation view of the nozzle in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 is a similar view to FIGURE 2 of an alternative construction and FIGURES 6 and 7 are similar views to FIGURES 3 and 4 respectively.

In the example shown in FIGURES 1 to 4, there is provided a spray nozzle for use for supplying a liquid fuel spray to the interior of a flame tube 10 of a gas turbine engine, the nozzle comprising a straight length of metal inlet pipe 11 adapted to extend into the flame tube 10 and having connected to it a further pipe 12 to which the fuel is supplied. The inner end of the pipe 11 is closed and at this end are secured two quarter circular lengths 13 of fine bore tube so as to define, in combination a semi-circle, the remote ends of the tubes being connected to the inlet pipe 11 so that the interior of the inlet pipe 11 is in communication with the bores of the respective quarter circular tubes 13. These tubes 13 are elliptical in cross-section and may be formed from tubing usually referred to as Bourdon tubing. They are bent so that the radially outwardly presented surfaces of the tubes are normal to the major axis of the ellipse. The adjacent ends of the two quarter circular tubes 13 are disposed in closely spaced end-to-end relation to define an opening 14 between them. The radially inwardly presented surfaces of the adjacent ends of the tubes 13 are backed by a deflector 15 fixed to the inlet pipe 11 and conforming to the elliptical shape of the tubes 13, as seen in FIGURE 3. The adjacent end faces of the tubes 13 and the deflector 15 together form the boundaries of the opening 14 for the emission of liquid, the opening being elongated transversely of the directions of flow of liquid through the tubes 13 3,258,613 nat n ss 17, 19 7 so that the emitted spray pattern is a generally flat fan shape.

Secured to the inlet pipe 11 is a sheet metal shroud 16 arranged to enclose the quarter circular tubes 13 and deflector 15 but leaving the adjacent ends of the tubes and the opening 14, exposed. Holes 17 are formed in the shroud 16 through which combustion air may enter to mix with the emitted liquid spray. Thus, in use, when liquid is supplied simultaneously along both quarter circular tubes 13, the two streams impinging against one another in the region of the opening 14, and are emitted in. the form of a substantially flat, fan-shaped spray pattern.

The quarter circular tubes 13 are resilient so that under the influence of liquid pressure inside them, they tend to straighten, thus enlarging the opening 14 and increasing the rate of discharge of liquid being sprayed but still maintaining the fan-shaped spray pattern. The shroud 16 may be replaced as shown in FIGURES 5 to 7 to form a short length of flattened tube 18 having holes 19 for entry of combustion air.

In order permanently to increase the rate of discharge of liquid, the .space between the adjacent tube ends is increased and the direction of the emitted spray can be altered by increasing the resilient flexibility of either of the tubes by employing abrasive means to reduce the wall thickness of the tube. In a preferred form, the output or discharge rate of liquid is proportional to the pressure applied.

It will be appreciated that the tubes are not neces' sarily part circular but can be bent into other shapes in which the opposite ends of each tube lie in difference planes.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spray nozzle comprising a pair of resilient tube means, one pair of ends of which are in communication with a cavity, to which liquid to be sprayed can be supplied under pressure, the opposite pair of ends of the tube means terminating in free ends adjacent to one another in substantially end-to-end spaced relationship defining a gap, a deflector disposed to extend across said gap and cooperating with said last-mentioned ends to define a discharge opening, so that liquid streams simultaneously supplied to said tube means impinge against one another and are emitted through said opening, said discharge opening being elongated transversely to the direction of flow of liquid through said tube means, each of said tube means being bent intermediate its ends, so that the ends lie in different planes, and said tube means being resilient so that an increase in pressure, when the spray nozzle is in use, tends to straighten the tube means so as to enlarge the opening by separation of the adjacent free ends of the tube means.

2. A spray nozzle according to claim 1 in which the tube means are generally quarter circular and together define a semi-circle at the mid-point of which the discharge opening is located.

3. A spray nozzle according to claim 1 in which a shroud partially encloses said tube means and defines an opening for the emission of liquid from said tube means.

4. A spray nozzle according to claim 1 in which the tube means are secured to and are in communication with the interior of a supply means to which liquid to be sprayed can be supplied.

5. A spray nozzle according to claim 1 in which the tubes are resilient to an extent that, in use, the discharge rate of liquid through the opening between the adjacent tube ends is proportional to the pressure of liquid therein.

6. A spray nozzle as claimed in claim 1 in which an inlet pipe defines said cavity, said tube means being generally quarter-circular in elevation and together defining a substantial semi-circle at the mid-point of which said gap is located, said tube means being elliptical in cross section, the radially outwardly presented surfaces of the tube means being normal to the major axis of the ellipse, said deflector backing up the radially inwardly presented surfaces of the tube means, said deflector having a surface conforming to the elliptical shape of said tube means, a shroud connected to said pipe, enclosing said tube means and having an opening therein exposing said discharge opening, and said shroud also having further openings therein between said pipe and said discharge opening.

7. A spray nozzle as claimed in claim 1 in which said shroud is defined by a length of flattened tubing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 536,216 3/1895 Luther et al. 239545 618,615 1/1899 Prinz 239-545 640,887 1/1900 Dolan 239545 903,579 11/1908 Kersey 239545 1,531,877 3/1925 Reimers 239-421 1,607,106 11/1926 Stum 239-545 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SPRAY NOZZLE COMPRISING A PAIR OF RESILIENT TUBE MEANS, ONE PAIR OF ENDS OF WHICH ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH A CAVITY, TO WHICH LIQUID TO BE SPRAYED CAN BE SUPPLIED UNDER PRESSURE, THE OPPOSITE PAIR OF ENDS OF THE TUBE MEANS TERMINATING IN FREE ENDS ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER IN SUBSTANTIALLY END-TO-END SPACED RELATIONSHIP DEFINING A GAP, A DEFLECTOR DISPOSED TO EXTEND ACROSS SAID GAP AND COOPERATING WITH SAID LAST-MENTIONED ENDS TO DEFINE A DISCHARGE OPENING, SO THAT LIQUID STREAMS SIMULTANEOUSLY SUPPLIED TO SAID TUBE MEANS IMPINGE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER 